Helmet with quick release means for storing goggles thereon

ABSTRACT

Improved goggles and quickly adjustable fast action release means for storing the goggles on a helmet when not in use. The fastener means is attachable to the goggles or to cover means for the goggles and is operable to hold the goggles compactly stored against the exterior of the helmet crown with the head-embracing goggle-mounting band captive within the goggle shroud. The cover conforms to adjacent surfaces of the helmet and conceals and protects the goggles while preserving the same appearance whether the goggles are present or absent.

United States Patent [191 Rose {1111 3,808,604 [451 May 7,1974

1 HELMET WITH QUICK RELEASE MEANS FOR STORING GOGGLES THEREON [21] Appl, No.: 212,169

[52] US. Cl. 2/10, 2/5 [51] Int. Cl. A61f 9/02 [58] Field of Search 2/10, 5, 6, ll, 14 XS,

2/14 Y, 14 C, 14 D, 14 T, 14 R, 199., 3

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,170,462 2/1916 Schroeder 2/10 1,285,109 11/1918 Friedman.... 2/10 1,781,832 11/1930 Crenshaw 2/10 3,703,750 11/1972 lrwin 2/10 1,033,518 7/1912 Bader 2/10 2,625,685 1/1953 Moeller 2/14 D 2,743,448 5/1956 Carlson 2/14 B 2,903,700 9/1959 Finken et al.... 2/10 2,923,944 2/1960 Lindblom 2/14 H 3,373,444 3/1968 Militello 2/10 3,605,114 9/1971 Hanlein et a1. 3,613,115 10/1971 Hill ..2/1O

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 21,451 1913 Great Britain 2/10 108,478 1/1925 Germany 2/10 Primary Examiner-Jordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-Peter Nerbun [5 7] ABSTRACT the exterior of the helmet crown with the headembracing goggle-mounting band captive within the goggle shroud. The cover conforms to adjacent surfaces of the helmet and conceals and protects the goggles while preserving the same appearance whether the goggles are present or absent.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDHAY HUN INVENTOR. DAN/E1. 6. ROSE HELMET WITII QUICK RELEASE MEANS FOR STORING GOGGLES THEREON This invention releates to protective helmets, and more particularly to an improved construction for releaseably storing goggles thereon and for releasing the goggles at other times for use independently of the hel met.

Most users of protective helmets and head gear have need for goggles at certain times and are confronted with the problem of providing convenient, readily accessible safe storing means for the goggles at other times. Various proposals have been made heretofore to meet these needs but such proposals are subject to numerous shortcomings and disadvantages sought to be avoided by the present invention.

Thus, according to this invention, the helmet is provided with simple retainer means for detachable retaining the wearers goggles safely stored against the exterior of the helmet and in immediate readiness to be released from the stored position and supported on the head independently of the helmet. Any of various means may be employed for storing the goggles on the exterior of the helmet utilizing readily released fastener means. Typically, the male portion of the snap fastener is permanently assembled to the helmet, such as along its opposite exterior sides where it cooperates with the goggles themselves or with enclosure means for the goggles to store them about the exterior rear side of the helmet crown. Desirably the protective enclosure for the goggles is designed to harmonize with the adjacent areas of the helmet with the rim edges of the protector merging with the juxtaposed surfaces of the helmet irrespective of whether the goggles are stored or in use. The cover is formed with pull tabs equipped with the female portion of the fastener devices. Alternatively, the opposite sides of the goggle shroud may have one portion of a snap fastener affixed to it and in position to mate with the other half of the fastener carried by the helmet proper. In still another arrangement, one half of the fastener may be mounted in a tab adjustably secured to the free end of the usual elastic band employed to hold the goggles to the wearers head.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide simple, inexpensive, easily and quickly manipulatable means for storing a pair of goggles against the exterior sides of protective head gear.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pair of goggles provided with readily operated fastener means for holding the goggles snugly against the exterior of the wearers helmet when not being worn.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pair of goggles having simply readily adjusted elastic band means for holding the goggles to the wearers head and including means carried in part by the goggles and in part by protective head gear for storing the goggles against the exterior of the head gear without stress on the goggle elastic band.

Another object of the invention is the'provision of a protective head gear provided on the exterior with reclosable means for storing a pair of goggles until needed and for maintaining the goggles clean and free of foreign matter until needed.

Still another object of the inventionis the provision ofa fireman s protective helmet having means for storing a pair of shrouded goggles against the exterior rear portion on the crown without reliance on the head engaging portion of the goggle mounting band to hold the goggles in storage position. a

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a typical protective hel met according to one preferred embodiment of the invention and showing the free ends of the goggle mounting band in use to hold the goggles clampled to the helmet;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of FIG. 1 from the right hand side thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 3-3 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the female portion of the snap fastener shown in FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of a second preferred embodiment of the invention and employing a protective enclosure for the goggle; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of still another embodiment of the invention showing one portion of the snap fastener secured to the goggle shroud and in use to hold the goggles in storage position astride the rear of the helmet.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. I to 4, there is shown by way of example, a protective head gear comprising a one piece molded plastic firemans helmet 10 having a dome shaped crown ll integral at its base with a broad encircling rim l2. Snugly embracing the rear base portion of crown 11 is a pair of goggles 13 having a transparent lens plate 14 embraced at its periphery with a one piece molded shroud 15 of supple plastic composition, rubber or the like elastomeric material. The free rim edge 16 of this shroud is contoured to seat snugly against the forehead, temples and the portion of the face below the eyes. This contour readily conforms with the exterior of the helmet crown with the goggle lens plate facing rearwardly.

The means for holding the goggles seated over the eyes comprises an elastic band 18 having its opposite ends threaded through suitable retainer means 19 here shown as molded into the shroud itself. Thus, the free end 20 of band 18 is looped over the cross piece 21 of the retaining means and adjusted to the the proper length for the comfort of the individual wearer. According to this invention, this free end 20 of strap 18 is adjustably connected to a member 23 designed similarly to retainer 19. In the free end of this retainer is the female portion 25 of a snap fastener, the male portion 26 being permanently assembled to the helmet crown As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the goggles are in stored condition but ready for use at any time. To detach the goggles, the user merely grasps the free end 20 of the goggle band and disengages snap fasteners 25, 26. The goggles are then mounted on the head in the usual manner after which the helmet is placed on the head. The helmet can be removed and replaced at any time without interfering with the goggles and, when not in use, head band 18 is stored concealed within the goggle shroud and against the rear side of thehelmet in a completely relaxed unstretched condition. Hence, the only time that the head band is tensioned is when the goggles are being worn. Since the rim of the goggle shroud fits snugly against the exterior of the crown, dust, dirt and foreign matter is excluded from the interior of the shroud, the lens plate and the head band. It will be recognized that the lens plate may be cleaned and inspected for cleanliness without need for removing the goggles from the helmet.

The second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 shows I goggles l3 stored within a separate protective cover 30 formed in one piece, such as from molded plastic composition, or the same material from which helmet is made, but of substantially lower durometer. Cover 30 is molded to fit snugly about shroud of the goggles and with its free rim edge 31 sealing snugly against the juxtaposed exterior surface of crown 11'. Accordingly, it will be understood that the rim edge of cover 30 provides a continuous seal throughout its length with the corresponding surface of the helmet so that all portions of the goggles, including the head band, is stored in folded condition within the goggle shroud. The opposite ends 33 of the cover comprise mounting tabs for the female portion of the snap fasteners employed to hold the cover in place on the helmet. Although not shown, it will be understood that fasteners portions 25 mate with complementally shaped male portions of the fasteners of the same design show in FlG. 3. It will also be understood that the cup shaped protective storage cover fully encloses and conceals the goggles from view and excludes dirt and dust from both sides of the lens plate.

The FIG. 6 embodiment of the invention differs from the first described embodiment in that portion 25" of the snap fasteners is mounted directly in the rim edge of goggle shroud 15", such as at the opposite ends of this shroud and mates with the other portion of the fastener mounted in an appropriate position at the rear of the helmet crown. Before snapping the fasteners closed the user takes the precaution to fold the goggle head band into the interior of the shroud where it is safely held captive as soon as the snap fasteners are closed.

While the helmet with quick release means for storing goggles thereon herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the aphaving transparent lens plate means embraced by a wide supple elastomeric shroud having flexible edges contoured to seat aginst juxtaposed surfaces of the users face and temples, elastic band means having the opposite end portions connected to said shroud adjacent a respective one of the temple engaging portions thereof and sized to hold said goggles firmly over the eyes independently of said helmet, and said goggles and helmet including elastomeric means adjacent the temple contacting portions at the opposite ends of said goggles including readily engageable and separable fastener means including fastener means secured to either side of the rearwardly facing portion of the helmet crown for storing said goggles when not being worn fixedly and detachably astride the exterior of the rearwardly facing portion of said crown in an area closely overlying said brim with the edges of said supple shroud held snugly pressed against said crown and with the major portion of said elastic band means fully relaxed and captively concealed between the rear exterior of said crown and said goggle face plate means and circumscribed by said shroud.

2. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said elastomeric means for storing said gog-- gles across the rear of said helmet includes manually adjustable means for adjusting the tension therein and thereby adjusting the pressure between the supple edges of said shroud and the exterior of said crown when the goggles are in stored position thereagainst.

3. That improvement defined in claim 2 characterized in the provision of cover means for the goggle face plate means which cover means embraces and covers the exterior of said face plate means when said goggles are in stored position across therear of said crown.

4. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said elastic head band means includes means adjustably connecting portions of its opposite ends to the temple engaging portions of said shroud with the free end portions of said head band means projecting outwardly beyond said shroud, and said free end portions of said head band means including means for detachably securing said free end portions to the cooperating fastener means on the opposite exterior sides of the helmet crown.

5. That improvement defined in claim 3 characterized in that said cover means includes separable fastener means thereon separably engageable with said cooperating fastener means on the opposite rear sides of said crown to hold said cover means in place over the face plate means of said goggles. 

1. That improvement in a one piece rigid fireman''s helmet of the type having a continuous wide brim encircling the base of the helmet crown, a pair of goggles having transparent lens plate means embraced by a wide supple elastomeric shroud having flexible edges contoured to seat aginst juxtaposed surfaces of the user''s face and temples, elastic band means having the opposite end portions connected to said shroud adjacent a respective one of the temple engaging portions thereof and sized to hold said goggles firmly over the eyes independently of said helmet, and said goggles and helmet including elastomeric means adjacent the temple contacting portions at the opposite ends of said goggles including readily engageable and separable fastener means including fastener means secured to either side of the rearwardly facing portion of the helmet crown for storing said goggles when not being worn fixedly and detachably astride the exterior of the rearwardly facing portion of said crown in an area closely overlying said brim with the edges of said supple shroud held snugly pressed against said crown and with the major portion of said elastic band means fully relaxed and captively concealed between the rear exterior of said crown and said goggle face plate means and circumscribed by said shroud.
 2. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said elastomeric means for storing said goggles across the rear of said helmet includes manually adjustable means for adjusting the tension therein and thereby adjusting the pressure between the supple edges of said shroud and the exterior of said crown when the goggles are in stored position thereagainst.
 3. That improvement defined in claim 2 characterized in the provision of cover means for the goggle face plate means which cover means embraces and covers the exterior of said face plate means when said goggles are in stored position across the rear of said crown.
 4. That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said elastic head band means includes means adjustably connecting portions of its opposite ends to the temple engaging portions of said shroud with the free end portions of said head band means projecting outwardly beyond said shroud, and said free end portions of said head band means including means for detachably securing said free end portions to the cooperating fastener means on the opposite exterior sides of the helmet crown.
 5. That improvement defined in claim 3 characterized in that said cover means includes separable fastener means thereon separably engageable with said cooperating fastener means on the opposite rear sides of said crown to hold said cover means in place over the face plate means of said goggles. 